Iranian scientist escapes CIA grip

TERAN, July 13 (MNA) -- Missing Iranian nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri, who was abducted by the CIA while on an umra pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia in June 2009, has taken refuge at the Iranian Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy in Washington.

Amiri has asked to be repatriated to Iran as soon as possible, the Mehr News Agency has learned.

Mostafa Rahmani, the director of the Iranian Interests Section in Washington, told the Associated Press on Tuesday that the news report was correct, adding that the Iranian Foreign Ministry would release details later.

Meanwhile, the Iranian Foreign Ministry has confirmed Amiri’s presence at the Interests Section in Washington.

“The Foreign Ministry is closely following the issue of Mr. Amiri’s presence at the offices of the Iranian Interests Section in Washington. (The Foreign Ministry) will soon release additional details on the issue and will take appropriate steps,” an informed source at the Foreign Ministry told the Mehr News Agency on Tuesday.

He added that the Iranian Foreign Ministry will remain in contact with the Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy in Washington.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has handed over to Swiss diplomats in Tehran new documents related to the abduction of the Iranian scientist by the CIA and called for Mr. Amiri’s prompt and unconditional release, Press TV reported on Tuesday.

The U.S. Interests Section is based in the Swiss Embassy in Washington.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Basit told AFP that Amiri had arrived at the Pakistani Embassy at 6:30 p.m. on Monday and has been with them since.

“We understand from Dr. Rahmani that they are making arrangements for his repatriation to Iran,” he added.

Previously, the Iranian Intelligence Ministry obtained a video clip recorded on April 5 in which Amiri elaborated on how he was abducted.

In the video, which was broadcast on several Iranian channels, Amiri said that he was then in the U.S. state of Arizona and that he had been abducted by the CIA and Saudi intelligence agents when he was in Medina in June 2009.

The Iranian Intelligence Ministry has also obtained an audio message in which Amiri was recorded as saying he had been offered $10 million to appear on CNN and announce that he had willingly defected to the United States, the Press TV report added.

Before he disappeared, Amiri worked as a researcher at Tehran’s Malek Ashtar University.